Nut-lock



(No Model.)

0. A. THOMPSON.

NUT LOOK.

No. 439,754. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

CHARLES A. THOMPSON, OF IRWVIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,754, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed June 20, 1890. Serial No. 6,086. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. THOMPSON, a resident of Irwin, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Nut-Locks; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to nut-locksthat is, devices for locking nuts upon bolts-its object being to provide an efficient form of nutlock which will hold the nut upon the bolt upon each quarter-turn thereof.

,It consists, generally stated, in combining with the bolt having a longitudinal groove therein a nut and a strap or case encircling the nut and havinga series of spring-lips extending therefrom over the face of the nut to engage with the bolt.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view illustrating one form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a face view. Fig.

3 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a side View showing a different form of strap, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the strapor case removed from the nut.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each figure.

The bolt a may be of any suitable form, that shown in the drawings being the ordinary railway-bolt, having the threaded portion I), in which threaded portion is formed the longitudinal groove vc, one edge of the groove being abrupt, so that when the springlips of the nut-locking device engage therewith the nut will be firmly held upon the bolt. The nut d is of the ordinary construction, no work whatever being required upon the nut to fit it for use. strap or case 6, forming the nut-lock, this strap or case being provided with a series of springlips f, which extend forward across the face of nut in position to engage with the groove 0 in the bolt. This strap or case corresponds in shape to the nut, fitting around the same,

as shown in the drawings, and being held thereon in any suitable Way. It may either be made in the shape of a cup or box, the lower edge of which fits over the back of the nut, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or in the form Encircling this nut (l is the of a strap having fingers extending out there from and engaging with the back of the nut, as shown in Figs. 4. and 5; or the strap encircling the nut may be secured thereon in any desired way. The strap or case is formed of suitable spring metal, steel being preferred for the purpose, and it may be formed in any suitable way, such as from asheet-steel tube square in cross-section or corresponding to the shape of the nut, and one edge of this.

tube being bent inwardly to form the base 9 of the case 6; or the tube may be cut to the shape shown in Fig. 5, so as to provide a strap with the fingers h extending out therefrom, these fingers having generally the form shown in dotted lines, and the not being passed into the case from the rear, after which the fingers h are bent down, as at 70, to hold the nut therein.

The spring-lips fextend over the face of the nut and above the threaded opening thereof in position to engage with the end of the bolt. These lips are cut from the body of the strap, and where the cup-shape case, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is employed, the nut maybe dropped into the case and the fingers cut from the strap or case by suitable machinery fitting against the nut, the top edge of the nut acting as the shear edge for the shearing of the spring-lips, while by means of shearing-knives advancing in thefour directions, and suitable lips acting to support the edges m of the case where the spring-lips are sheared therefrom, the spring lips can be quickly sheared from the case and pressed over into proper position. In the form of strap or case shown in Figs. i and 5 this work can, however, be done before the nut is placed within the case. As the spring-lips pass above the course of the bolt as the bolt is screwed into the nut, 1 form the front end of the bolt tapered or rounded as at 01, so that when it is screwed through the nut its tapered end will pass out through thespring-lips, forcing them onto the threaded port-ion b of the bolt and in position to engage with the groove 0 thereof.

The nuts and bolts can be shipped separatelythat is, without securing the nut upon the bolt-and when they are used, as the nut is turned by the operator the spring-lips will be pressed out by the tapered or rounded face a of the bolt and will pass onto the threaded portion 1) of the bolt, and as the nut is screwed to place these spring-lips will pass 'over and engage successively with the groove 0 of the bolt, and as soon as-the nut is screwed tight to place one of the spring-lips will engage with the groove and hold the nut in that position. As the strap or case corresponds in shape to the nut, it is evident that it will not interfere in any way with the screwing up of the nut, the wrench simply engaging with the case which encircles the nut. If it is desired to lock the nut oftener than on each quarterturn-for example, on each eighthturn another groove, such as at c, Fig. 2, may be formed in the bolt, and the spring-lips will engage with that groove in the same manner. In order to remove the nut, it will simply be necessary to employ a wrench provided with suitable fingers for lifting the spring-lips, so that the nut can'be properly unscrewed. The

V nut-locking device above described has been practically tried and found to be efficient for the purpose and forms a positive look, while it requires no change whatever in the nut to which it is applied.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In combination with a bolt having a longitudinal groove therein, a nut, and a strap or case encircling the nut and having aseries of spring-lips extending therefrom over the face of the nut to engage with the bolt, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with a bolt havingalongitudinal groove therein and having a round or tapering point, as at m, a nut, and a strap or case encircling the nut and having a series of spring-lips extending therefrom over the face of the nut to engage with the bolt, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

3'. In combination with a bolt having a longitudinal groove therein, a nut, and a strap. 

